Artificial mulch for seedling establishment

Abstract

Flaked mulch products having a density similar to that of seed which is to be established, comprise an agglomerated and compacted natural raw material whose density is adjusted to within 50% of the seed.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A seed-containing mulch product, comprising a seed component having an average density of X, and mulch flakes having a density of X±0.5X, said mulch flakes prepared by agglomerating one or more digested or undigested natural lignocellulosic raw materials and/or sewage sludge raw material and compacting into a compacted product which is comminuted to said mulch flakes. 
     
     
       2. The mulch product of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more fertilizer components. 
     
     
       3. The mulch product of  claim 1 , wherein said step of agglomerating comprises digesting lignocellulosic raw materials to generate a natural binder in situ, followed by compacting to prepare a flakeable mulch precursor product. 
     
     
       4. The product of  claim 1 , wherein said step of agglomerating comprises applying one or more natural or synthetic binders to lignocellulosic material followed by compacting to prepare a flakeable mulch precursor product. 
     
     
       5. The product of  claim 1 , wherein said lignocellulosic raw material comprises one or more of comminuted wood, leaves, straw, seed husks, compost, or lignocellulosic waste products of industrial processing. 
     
     
       6. The product of  claim 1 , wherein said mulch comprises sewage sludge raw material. 
     
     
       7. The product of  claim 1 , wherein prior to compacting, one or more substantially unprocessed density adjusting natural materials are added. 
     
     
       8. The product of  claim 7  wherein at least a portion of said density adjusting material is selected from paper flakes and low density natural lignocellulosic products. 
     
     
       9. The product of  claim 1  further comprising a low density natural lignocellulosic material in an amount of less then 30 weight percent based on the weight of the product. 
     
     
       10. The product of  claim 1 , further comprising natural or synthetic fibers admixed with said seed and said mulch flakes. 
     
     
       11. A process for the preparation of a mulch product suitable for admixture with seed having a density of X, said mulch product having a density of X±0.5X, said process comprising 
       a) selecting a raw material selected from the group consisting of natural lignocellulosic materials, paper, and sewage sludge;  
       b) agglomerating said raw material by incorporating a natural or synthetic binder;  
       c) optionally adding a density lowering amount of paper or a natural lignocellulosic product; and  
       d) compacting to form a mulch product.  
     
     
       12. The process of  claim 11  wherein said step of agglomerating comprises digesting lignocellulosic material to generate a binder in situ. 
     
     
       13. The process of  claim 11 , wherein said step of agglomerating comprises adding a natural or synthetic binder. 
     
     
       14. The process of  claim 11 , wherein said process further comprises adding a fertilizer to said product prior to compacting. 
     
     
       15. The process of  claim 11 , wherein prior to said step of compaction, a lignocellulosic product of low density is incorporated to lower the density of said mulch product. 
     
     
       16. The process of  claim 11 , wherein said binder is selected from the group consisting of natural vegetable gums, starches, sugars, plant extracts, shellac, animal origin adhesives; synthetic formaldehyde condensates, polyacrylates, novolac resins, epoxy resins; and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       17. A flaked mulch product, comprising mulch particles having a longest average dimension less than 10 mm, prepared by comminuting the mulch product of  claim 11 . 
     
     
       18. The flaked mulch product of  claim 17 , prepared by extruding said compacted mulch product to form an extrudate, drying at least the surface of said extrudate, and comminuting said extrudate. 
     
     
       19. The flaked mulch product of  claim 18  wherein at least a portion of said mulch product are in the form of platelets. 
     
     
       20. The flaked mulch product of  claim 19 , further comprising a surfactant. 
     
     
       21. The flaked mulch product of  claim 18 , further comprising a water absorbent. 
     
     
       22. The seed-containing mulch product of  claim 1 , wherein at least 50 number percent of said seed is enclosed within or attached to said mulch flakes.